The Carolina Panthers’ rookie haul survived final cuts in a big way, with every drafted rookie on the 53-man roster except Chris Brazzell II, who is injured. A few undrafted free agents joined them, too, and the result says plenty about how the team views this class and where the depth chart is already thin.
Monroe Freeling was never really in danger. First-round picks almost always stick, and the Panthers also have him in a starting role on the offensive line. That made his path to the roster straightforward.
Lee Hunter was just as safe for a different reason. Second-round picks usually make it, and Carolina had even more incentive to keep him with injuries and retirements piling up on the defensive line. He didn’t turn heads in the preseason, but he didn’t have to.
Will Lee III had an uneven preseason, but the Panthers still needed cornerback help, and he is clearly their top option behind Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. That was enough to get him through.
The same logic helped Sam Hecht and Zakee Wheatley. Hecht may or may not start this season, but the Panthers clearly see a future center there, which makes him a valuable piece right now. Wheatley’s role is less certain, too, but he showed enough to earn a place in the safety rotation and could also grow into a starter down the line.
Jackson Kuwatch made it as a seventh-round pick, which is no small thing. Carolina’s decision to cut Trevin Wallace and keep Kuwatch showed belief in his upside, but it also reflected how little linebacker depth the roster really has.
Haynes King turned one appearance into a roster spot. The Panthers need a capable backup beyond 2026 because Kenny Pickett is on a one-year deal, and King also gives them something extra as a gadget player and as a QB sneak option.
Aaron Hall benefited from the state of the defensive line room as much as anything else. Carolina traded for a defensive lineman yesterday, and with depth already a concern, Hall’s strong preseason made him an easy fit where the roster had room.
Albert Reese also forced the issue. Next Gen Stats said the Panthers UDFA offensive tackle logged 98 pass blocks in the preseason, allowed just 8 pressures, an 8.2% rate, and no sacks.
He was the one player off the initial 53-man projection that gave real pause, especially with some cross-training at guard. In the end, the Panthers kept him because they needed tackle depth with Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu both out for now, and because Reese had been so solid in pass protection.
In Other News...
Panthers Backfield Concerns Just Brought Home A Familiar Name
The Panthers turned to a familiar roster-building move on Sept. 3, signing running back Ahmani Marshall to the practice squad while releasing offensive lineman Isaia Glass in a corresponding transaction. Marshall arrives with some recent NFL background, having spent time in Browns camp and on Clevelands practice squad before being cut, and Carolina is clearly looking for help in the backfield after injuries thinned out the room.
It is the kind of addition that can matter more than it looks on paper, especially this early in the season when teams are still sorting out depth and durability. Marshall now gets a chance to re-enter the conversation in Carolina, and the larger question is whether this is just a temporary patch or the first move in a more complicated backfield reset. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Final Roster Shakeup Created One Clear Winner And Loser
The Panthers roster decisions ahead of the season brought a little more clarity to the depth chart, and a little more intrigue to the back end of the roster. Carolina kept quarterback Haynes King after he flashed in the preseason, a nice reward for a summer in which he forced his way into the conversation, while the team also made a notable addition at linebacker in Bobby Okereke as it trimmed to 53.
For Jermaine Wallace, the ripple effect was immediate, since the arrival of Okereke helped push him off the roster. There was a bit of encouraging news elsewhere, too, with Dave Canales saying he remains optimistic about Chuba Hubbards Week 1 availability despite the recent soreness, but the bigger takeaway is that the Panthers used cutdown day to make a couple of firm statements about who mattered most right now. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers First Round Decision Looks Smarter Than Fans Realized
The Panthers first-round choice drew plenty of second-guessing when the draft ended, but the picture around it has changed quickly. Monroe Freeling is now in the starting tackle role after Taylor Motons injury, and that kind of immediate need has a way of making a front office look far more foresighted than it did on draft night. Carolina has spent the early part of the season learning how thin the margin can be up front, and Freelings arrival now looks tied directly to one of the teams most important spots.
Makai Lemon, who had been floated as another possible target for Carolina, has only added to the retrospective argument by struggling through the preseason. The Panthers are still being judged on the whole set of draft decisions, but this is the kind of development that can change the tone around a pick fast. What once looked like a reach now appears to have lined up neatly with a real roster need, and in Carolinas case those are the kinds of calls that tend to matter most. [Read more 🡒]